Stephen A. Smith is fired over Jon Jones who is not fighting Tom Aspinall.
On Saturday, the UFC heavyweight champion and perhaps the greatest hunter of all time officially retired at MMA, which avoided a title Unification attack with interim champion Tom Aspinall in the process.
Jon Jones kept Aspinall waiting almost 600 days before he finally retired and fought against a 42-year-old Stipe Miocic in his first title defense instead of Aspinall.
Jones received a lot of criticism after his pension decision, including claims that he 'dives' the new undisputed champion.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Stephen A. Smith expressed disappointment about Jon Jones who retires UFC
Known for his fiery Takes, Sportpersonality Stephen A. Smith has given his opinion about Jones who retires without uniting the title against Aspinall in one of the greatest fighting in the UFC history.
“I am not going to accuse the greatest mixed martial artist I have ever seen in my life in Jon 'Bones' Jones,” said Smith about the retired UFC champion on ESPN's first take.
“I have so much admiration for him … having said that, I am incredible, incredibly disappointed about this news,” said Smith about Jones' pension decision.
'[Jones] Is absolutely phenomenal. He is the real deal. He is one of those guys who has a man like Aspinall like Aspinall, he is in the record and says he just annoys me and annoys me. He doesn't even want to be asked about Tom Aspinall during interviews.
“Well, now with your pension, Aspinall is the undisputed heavyweight champion.”
Smith went on.
“My point is, if you are a hunter, which he is at a very elite level, and that is the fight that people want to see, give us the fight we want to see.”
Stephen A. Smith to Jon Jones: 'We want to see you deal with' Tom Aspinall
Jones, 37, runs away from the UFC after 30 Pro MMA fights, so that what could be the largest heavyweight fight with Aspinall all time.
Despite the guarantees that the fight would happen, UFC CEO White said that he did everything he could to accept Jones, but eventually without results.
Although Jones is not the biggest fan of Aspinall, Smith thinks he has made a mistake by not fighting the British star.
“What are we complaining about boxing?” Smith went on.
“We complain about promoters and others who stand in the way of getting the fights we want to see if we want to see it. And Jon 'Bones' Jones, he is literally this kind of person.
“If you come to his nerves, one or two things will happen. They want to kick your ass that he can do completely and will do it at an elite level, or he will say to you. I will not give you the privilege to fight me because that hunter annoyed him.
“Unlike watching the public here about millions and millions of people who recognize your quantity and want to see you against this man you have been calling for a long time. Take it. Then retire if you want …
“But don't retire, because guess? There is not really a fight that you are interested in.
“This man annoys you. So to hell with it,” Smith said about why Jones should fight Aspinall.
“I'm not going to give him the privilege of fighting me …” It's not about that. That audience that loves you, who recognizes you indisputable greatness, we want to see you deal with this guy! “